The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-01-10
NOT A MAN ESCAPES:
A DISASTROUS sn1pwnEcK
On tho Virginia Coast-A German Ship
Stranded nni All Her Grow rorish-A
Number Of tho Life.snving Grew Also
Drowned After Noble ,Exertluns.

NORFOLK, VA, Jan. S.-Ono OF tho most
disastrous thipwrecks which ever occur.
red on the Virginia coast happened at
o'clock this morning, near the Little ID
lnnd Litc.asving Station, fourteen miles
south OF Cape Henry. Not less than
twenty, and probably more, lives were
lost, among them five life.saving men,
who. in the discharge Of their duty, were
drowned. kn@4 M 81 3'
The morning was bitterly cold, and a
binding snow storm prevailed. with the
wind blowing q gallo from tho Northeast,
DuyiDg 3 lnll in the storm tho Life.yaving
patrol from Little Island Liie.aaying Sta.
ton sighted q large ship stranded on the
bar about eight hundred yards from the
shore, When he spw the veasel he wss
going to meet the patrol from Dam Neck
Station, aud exchange checks, showing
that both patrolmen had been to the end
Of their bsat. The Dam Neck patrol
was only a :ow ysrds distant when tho
vessel was sighted, and both fired rockets
to notify the crew OF the straudid ship
that che had been eeen. They hurried
back to their respective stations and gave
the alarm. In q little while beth crews,
with liteboats md apparatus, were abreast
OF the wreck, and the boom OF a mortar
announced that line had been shot ont
to tho ill.fsted vessel. The shot was un-
successful, and second WAS fred with
like result. WsG IFT%NP III.
Alter firing six unauccesss,7l shots the
Llfe.Saving men determined to brave the
furious sea and the death which seemed
to await their venture. The word Of COM
mand was given by Captain Belanza, Of
Life-saving Station No !, known rs Little
Island. Six OF the most expert boa,men
manned each boat. At his command the
men gave way with will, and in a mo-
ment both men wero breasting the fur.
ious waves. They reached the ship In
safety, and FIVE OF the ships crew. were
taken in liie.boat, and ten In q ships
boat, which had been LAUNCHED for the
purpose. ~ 'E'}z' 2'5r5,, l;l 4
THE CRUEL, ANGRY SEAS. rf5}Ie
The hoats thep headed for shore,
and not word YVES sposen, for
each man realized the a~Iul pssIl which
surrounded them. With steady pul,
the two boats were making good headway
Tor shore, when. a wave OF great power
atruck both boats, capcizing them Instant
ly and pitching their twenty-five occu-
pants into the boiling sea. Then began d
desperate otruggle for life. AND With many
OF the men it wasa prolonged onc.. The
horri6ed lifeaavers on the beach were
powerless to assist their downing COM
tsdee Of the unfortunate strangers. Tho
drowning men vere carried ssuthwaru by
the seas, and some Of them were washed
ashore. As they came within roach they
Tcfs picked UP, and endeayors were
made to revive tham, and in two instances
With success, although oae oi tho two ia
badly injured. }5,3 ..iIl. yjftbl
The yesssl ia the German ahip Eliza.
beth, Captain FIaibsrstadt, from Hamburg
to Baltimore, and not one Of her crew eur
yiSes her wreck. Her cargo is unknown,
aas tho high 'sasg hsye thua far prevented
any attempt to REACH her. It is thought
ehe is leaking badly, and OF sunset her
maats were thought to be giving wsy. /
Ol the lile.Baving crew tie following
were ltst: Abel 3e!anza, captain OF No.
i, known as Little Island; j. W. Land,
same station; George W. Stone, same; ].
1. Eelsp;a, Of Dam Neck Station, and "a
Brother of Abel; Joseph spSrt!ey, OF Dam
Neck. John Etheridgo and frank Tet.
ford, Of No. ! Station, were washed ashore
snl resuscitated, but Etheridge is SO badly
injured THAT tt'ir thought he can not